Reasons for Baildon wood hanging death still a mystery

Mystery still surrounds why a Polish man hanged himself in a Baildon wood.

The riddle of what Marek Pisarkiewicz was doing in the Bradford area remained unsolved, a city inquest was told yesterday.

Police had not been able to find any evidence of what that the 38-year-old had been doing in the UK, the court heard. Officers had to liaise with immigration authorities after failing to uncover any record of the Pole entering, living in, or working in this country.

It was only after contacting Interpol that Mr Pisarkiewicz’s fingerprints were matched on a Polish database and his identity was revealed, said Detective Sergeant Steve Wedge.

Mr Pisarkiewicz’s body was found in woodland between Tong Park Industrial Estate and Hollins Hall on Tuesday, June 28, 2011.

Although there were no suspicious circumstances police carried out a number of public appeals to try to find out who he was, including releasing images of distinctive American Indian tattoos on his body, but they received no response.

Det Sgt Wedge said investigations from Polish authorities eventually found he had an estranged daughter but she was not able to help them with any information.

He said: “We found out absolutely nothing whatsoever. We were never able to establish he had ever been in this country from immigration services, DSS, NHS, housing – there was nothing, it’s all a mystery.”

Although Mr Pisarkiewicz died from hanging, Bradford Coroner Peter Straker said there was not enough known about what had happened to rule that he had killed himself and he recorded an open verdict.

He added: “How very sad. I don’t like it when there is so little evidence of society around someone who has died.”

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